How did this happen?

Knowing only the occupations Peter Weller's character has, anyone could tell this movie was not meant to be taken seriously. That, I would say, is the problem for the folks who profess hatred for this movie. "If it isn't meant seriously, it's crap."

On the other hand, there are other science fiction movies out there that are faaaaarrrr too serious, and have a much more flimsy science component. "Sunshine" comes to mind. A star that has 5 billion years of fuel left before it starts fusing helium--and has several billion *more* years' worth of that--runs out of fuel in only 49 years without going into the Red Giant phase?!?!?

Compared to the Sun jumping completely off the Main Sequence, one man being a multidimensional physicist, neurosurgeon, rock guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, folk hero and action hero all in one is much more likely! (Heck, just writing that one rambling sentence brought a smile to my face! There are probably many other "serious" movies you could compare this one to, and Buckaroo Banzai would seem more plausible!)

My favorite lines from Buckaroo Bonzai;
General: Look at this place, don't you have any pride? It looks like a damn pig sty!
John Bigboote: (Yanks General off the ground by his tie) It's not my dGo* damn planet, understand, monkey boy?!?

*I've seen posts removed for this kind of "infraction". I'd rather not take the chance by spelling this one word correctly--but I *will* capitalize it properly!

Yeah, I love Buckaroo Banzai, it’s a really enjoyable watch, but it is a camp disaster of a movie.

If you try to take it seriously you will be disappointed. It seemingly tries too hard to be funny, exciting, musical, deep, etc… but if you just take it for what it is and go along for the ride you’ll have a really good time.

However, as that isn’t really apparent without the finished product, I often wonder how it got the funding to make it.

“Well guys, we’ve got this great idea for a film - There’s this fella who’s a scientist and has to stop a group of other-dimensional baddies from their nefarious plans. Oh and he’s also a rock-star and a brain surgeon and he’s a hit with the ladies. One of the characters’ names sounds like Big Booty and we’re hoping to recruit more stars than you can shake a stick at.”

Imagine taking that one on Dragon’s Den.


"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society" - J Krishnamurti

LOl, I too wondered how the hell any studio picked this movie to get made. Maybe those studio execs aren't so bad after all! And they surely do have a good sense of humor!

This movie is amazing. I can't think of another word to describe it, just look at these facts:

ALL-STAR cast - Peter Weller, Jeff Goldblum, Clancy Brown, Lewis Smith and a whole list of others!

Creative Story - and when I say creative, I mean creative! "EVIL! Lectroids from the 8th dimension!" And that's all I've got to say about that.

Humor - do I need to explain this one?

Romance - Peter Weller and Ellen Barkin HELLOOOOO!

This movie is so packed with different genres that it's hard to even slap a classification onto it!

Whoever hates this film, I think they need to get the pipe out of their asses and sit down and watch this movie!

Perfect Tommy

Rawhide GET WELL SOON!

And I'm STILL waiting on Buckaroo Banzai vs The World Crime League!!! I'm going to get a BB tattoo.

Always an active American Gladiator!ü
Lance Henriksen is KING!
RIP Charles "Mask" Lewis!

Since I remember this film being advertised/publicized on the back of Marvel comics in 1984, I'd have to say it was geared primarily towards that audience

I saw this movie back when it was released, and while I thought it was fun and amusing, I kind of resented the fact that it felt like the film makers were trying to intentionally create a cult classic. That's also my problem with Tarantino films, even though I like them, too.

In order for a film to become an actual cult classic, it has to be made with the intention of making money for real and failing initially, only to be unexpectedly bouyed by a "cult" of hardcore fans who like it enough to keep it from being forgotten.

Trying to do this intentionally is like the dorky kid trying to get with the cool kids in the underground even though they have no clue what makes it cool.

The Bonzai Institute authorized it. DUH!

I like a lot of the fact that you feel like you jumped in to the Buckaroo wagon a long time after their journey started.

I mean when you start watching it, everyone just is there, things have happened, things happen but nobody really starts explaining it all to the viewer.
I think that's one of the things why some people might not like it.

"How the hell did they pitch this to a studio and get away with it?"

It was the early-to-mid 1980s. Studios will sometimes go for a project that sounds trendy - even if it isn't an obvious mega-blockbuster - and the ingredients that went into Buckaroo Banzai were extremely trendy back then. It was like a fad that never happened.

The combination of post-modern self-aware self-parody, the whole "cult movie" movement, the retro-50s style were the height of chic in the early-to-mid 1980s; it peaked a few years later with Howard the Duck, Killer Klowns from Outer Space etc. Repo Man, Big Trouble in Little China. Night of the Comet. That kind of over-the-top cartoonish sci-fi new wave postmodern punk style was fashionable.

Unfortunately the general public weren't so convinced, and the end result was a lot of pretty good films (plus Howard the Duck) that lost a tonne of cash, although they're fondly remembered nowadays. I surmise the studio hoped that general audiences would go to see it purely as a sci-fi action film, and that the insane continuity would be a bonus for hardcore fans.

Also, can I just say that the film looks fantastic? It looks fantastic. I only saw it a couple of days ago and it looks really good; really, really good.